Ketchup
by Organometallic Tetrahedron
Summary: By the end of the Sinnoh League, Ash Ketchum, at the age of 15, had many significant achievements. He throws this all away when he heads to Unova and seemingly reverts back to a 10 year old newbie trainer. Why did this happen? Will Ash ever get his memory back? Pikachu has his story to share, but who is this mysterious third person narrator? [Poke, Contest, Ikari, Amourshipping]
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Endless Sentences**

_..._

_It was the end of the most glorious moment of my life,  
><em>_It marked the start of the most horrific time to be alive._

_If only I identified the instigator,  
>If only my senses could be a little sharper,<em>

_Perhaps I would have detected the cause of his behavioural abnormality.  
>Before it was too late. <em>

...

It had been exactly two weeks since Pikachu and his trainer had lost the Sinnoh league. Two weeks since they had rested peacefully under the red-tiled roof of a quaint little house in Pallet Town. Two weeks since they had failed to venture more than fifteen meters away from their residence.

For many people, staying at home for extended periods of time not an unusual lifestyle habit, but in a world where it was common for ice cream float in the air and for piles of garbage to attack humans, most teenagers preferred to travel rather than live at home. It was even more abnormal that this particular teenager was Ash Ketchum, the infamous hyperactive trainer who was rarely at home for periods of more than two days and was often in a distant region for months at a time.

"Hey Pikachu, what d'ya think of this sentence?"

The electric rodent inwardly groaned at the question. Ash had been saying variations of that same statement all morning for the past three hours. Nonetheless, Pikachu scampered over to his trainer's untidy work area to examine his newest composition.

"Pikapi, Pikachuchu!" Pikachu exclaimed. He was finding it increasingly more difficult to remain encouraging and keep swearing to a minimum.

"Really? You think it's gonna get the audience hooked to read the rest of my essay?" Pikachu nodded vigorously, hoping that he had finally convinced Ash to stop dwelling over the first sentence so he could get on with the paper.

Ash did not buy it though.

"What if it's too simple? I mean, it's only a catchphrase. It's supposed to be an essay, so I wanna sound smart- Hmm...I wonder" Ash paused as if he had an idea.

_Perhaps_, Pikachu thought, _this time he would finally come up with something decent so he can finally finish this dreaded assignment after two weeks, although I still don't see what's wrong with "Offense is the best form of defense"..._

At that moment, Ash's stomach growled loudly. Pikachu sweatdropped.

"Heheh, looks like Mr. Stomach needs some food! I'll work on this later." While talking, Ash had already pushed his papers off his desk into the growing pile at the edge of his bedroom and left his seat. "Come on Pikachu, I'm sure mom won't mind if we sneak in a few bites before lunch starts!" Ash called from the entrance of the kitchen, having skipped down the stairs at a speed faster than a quick attack.

_Well, at least he's just as anxious to get food as he always is._ Pikachu sighed as he hurried down the stairs after his trainer. _The day he skips a meal will be the day when Ash Ketchum falls apart._

* * *

><p>"Misty! I didn't know you'd be here today!" Ash was halfway through his third onigiri before the doorbell rang to reveal his carotenoid travelling companion from Kanto and Johto standing impatiently behind the door.<p>

"Don't tell me you forgot I was coming. I told you that two weeks ago." Misty chastised.

Ash's expression turned blank before remembrance slowly dawned on him. "Umm... Ahem. You just surprised me, y'know? I thought you'd be here later in the day...like...around dinner time! Yeah! Mom's makin' something special for you!"

Misty rolled her eyes. Ash knew that his feeble attempts at concealing the fact that he had actually, for once, forgotten about her visit were rather unconvincing.

"Should I whack your thick skull with my mallet to help improve your memory?"

"Uh...no thanks? I don't think I'll be able to write anything coherent if I got a traumatic brain injury." Another rare occurrence: Ash is concerned about his mental health.

"Gosh, when did the almighty Mister Ketchum know such big words?" Misty teased. Then her expression turned serious as she mind registered the implications of Ash's comment.

"Look Miss Waterflower, can't I improve my vocabulary sometimes-"

"You're writing something?!" Misty all but screamed into his face.

"It's just a two-page essay, Mist-"

"An essay? Since when did you think that would be a good idea? The last time we talked, you couldn't even spell 'ketchup' correctly." Misty was fuming at Ash's apparent idiocy. "Please don't tell me this is the reason that you forgot about my visit, and please, please, please do _not_ tell me you're going to publish this."

"Actually, I _am_ going to publish it." Misty appeared thoroughly shocked by this. Ash knew he had to explain the details of his assignment even though he was instructed not to. Although he would never admit it, Misty could be intimidating when she was angry, especially considering how she was a few inches taller than him at the moment.

Ash held up a hand and made warning eye contact with her to convey that he wanted her to listen."Hear me out, Misty. I got this assignment from Professor Oak two weeks ago when I came back from Sinnoh. He said it was a good idea for me to write a short paper on battling strategies considering how famous I had become for being the only trainer to beat Tobias' Darkrai and reveal his second Pokemon."

"So you've been working on this stupid essay for two weeks?" Misty arched an eyebrow, skeptical. "Is that why you wouldn't answer your phone?"

"I didn't want any outside distractions. Professor Oak said I need to concentrate."

"But to disconnect your phone? Max was trying to contact you all week. He had just received his trainer's license and wanted to have his first Pokemon battle." Misty was obviously still exasperated. She was gesticulating wildly with both hands. Half of her hair slid out of her messy ponytail and her face was turning red. It was a rather amusing sight for an outsider.

Ash stifled a chuckle. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Misty was just so humorous at times. Misty noticed this however, and, given her mood, she did not take it lightly. "Look Mr. Ketchuphead-"

"Pikachu pipi!" Pikachu finally decided to interrupt the conversation before it turned violent. Surprisingly, Misty listened.

"You know what, Pikachu is right. We can deal with this later. That rice ball you're holding looks like it's about to die. Let's eat lunch first and discuss this later." Misty stated curtly, still angry.

Ash smiled. Pikachu hated arguments, and Ash was glad that he always broke fights in his favour. Misty still had not noticed the state of her hair. He would be sure to tease her about it later.

* * *

><p>"How is Phase I of Project Salt and Vinegar going?" A mysterious man with a deep, resonant voice asked, somehow managing to sound disinterested while posing a question normally meant to express interest.<p>

"So far, so good." Replied an older man with a somewhat higher pitched voice. "The subject is completely oblivious to his state, and he is well isolated from outside influences."

"It was rather witty of you to suggest that he disconnect his phone." The first man commented. Then he glanced over at the glowing magenta projection at the centre of the otherwise dimly lit room. The resolution was slightly unclear, but any distant observer could easily make out the outlines of two humans and a yellow mouse.

The first man frowned. "Looks like our subject has unwanted company."

"She is an invaluable condiment. As are the others who will soon be arriving. I will ensure that they do not interfere with the outcome, but they will be there to add spice to the process." The second man assured.

"Fine. Do what you wish, but do not fail me again, as you did in Project Ketchup." The first man consented, reluctant.

The second man simply smirked. He did not need to give further assurances. His companion could lay back and enjoy the show. After all, he had a flawless game plan.

* * *

><p>"Hey Ash! Come back!" Misty called from behind him. She was running at full speed to catch up with the overly energetic male trainer, straining every one of her well toned leg muscles. It was unfair that he had cheated and declared a race after sprinting off for a head start.<p>

"You're gonna have to catch me if you want me to stop!" Ash taunted from across the road. Currently, they were headed towards the Oak Pokemon Research Laboratory.

Misty's acceleration increased drastically as she willed herself to run even faster. She could already see the distance between herself and the Pokemon trainer decrease to a third, a half, a quarter. As this was a world in which Zeno's paradox held no significant meaning, it was inevitable that she was going to catch up in a matter of seconds.

Tasting victory on her tongue, the water type gym leader was just preparing to reap her reward when-

"Bay!" An Unidentified Aromatic Object threw itself mercilessly at the messy-haired trainer and pinned him to the ground with a body slam.

This was an unexpected development. So unexpected that Misty was about to lunge herself at the UAO without regard for consequences. In fact, the gym leader surprised even herself by the possessive thought that flooded her mind at that instant. _No one, with the exception of Misty Waterflower was permitted to attack Ash Ketchum like that. Ash belonged to her and her alone._

Before anything major could happen, however, Ash's voice snapped Misty back into reality.

"Ouch. Bayleef, I'm glad to see you. Ouch. Ouch. I missed you too!" Ash gasped for air. "Will you please get off?"

So it was just Bayleef. Misty faintly smiled. She had always admired the magnitude of Ash's bonds with his Pokemon. Even when he left them to visit other regions, he never failed to keep in contact with them and send his greetings every once in a while.

_Although_, Misty reasoned, _perhaps it is a little odd that Bayleef would run this far from the lab to greet his trainer_. After all, Ash always made it his first priority to spend quality time with his Pokemon at Oak's Lab after he returned home from a new region. It was not uncommon for the trainer to spend multiple consecutive nights sleeping with his Pokemon, reminiscing about the past and sharing stories about his newest adventures. In fact, that was what Misty assumed was the explanation for why Ash did not answer his phone calls for the past few days.

Thinking about the past two weeks, Misty wondered if Ash had really worked on his "essay" the entire time. He had not contacted any of his previous travelling companions since the day he came home from the Sinnoh League...

"Hello Ash, I thought I saw you coming up the path, so I sent Bayleef down to get you," greeted a familiar voice.

"Hello Professor Oak," Misty replied on Ash's behalf, considering how the messy haired trainer was still attempting to extricate himself from Bayleef's underside.

"Oh hello Misty. What a pleasant surprise. What brings the Cerulean City gym leader to this quaint little town?"

"Well, you know, I promised this trainer-" Misty pointed a finger at Ash, "that I would take three days off from the gym so we could spend some time together before he runs off to another region. But-" Misty paused for emphasis, "He has such a terrible memory that he is utterly shocked to find me on his doorstep this morning." Misty finished, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, I was busy and lost track of the days!" Ash complained loudly, now that he had successfully separated himself from Bayleef. Well, not entirely separated, since Bayleef was still chewing on his hat.

"Busy? With what, the essay?" Misty scoffed, clearly unimpressed. Then realization hit her like a tidal wave. "Professor Oak, you're the one who assigned him that essay, right?"

"Ah yes, that was me all right," the professor nodded. "I thought it would be beneficial for Ash to write a short little something that we could publish to the media before he goes on his next Pokemon journey. He is quite famous all across the four regions of Pokeland, especially after the battle frontier and the Sinnoh League."

"I thought the guy with the Darkrai won the league?" Misty inquired. At this the professor winced ever so slightly.

"I am afraid that some trainers do not have as much public appeal simply because they are too difficult to relate to. Ash has many qualities that are sought after in a Pokemon Master, even if he is still in training." The professor explained. "Ah, speaking of that article, do you have it for me?"

"Umm, I'm actually still on the first sentence." Misty's eyes widened at this new revelation, and Ash appeared rather embarrassed. "Writing is not my strength, but I actually want this to be good."

"Understandable." The professor was as amiable as always. "Although I do hope that you finish it within the next week. It does not have to very long, nor very complicated. I am happy with whatever you write as long as you put effort into it."

"Thank you, Professor." Ash bowed his head courteously. "I will try my best to make this the best essay possible! Ash Ketchum never gives up!"

"Good, I look forward to seeing you again." It could have been Misty's imagination, but she was almost certain that there was a mischievous glint in the professor's eyes and the slightest smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. Almost. As soon as she blinked, however, it was gone.

* * *

><p>Pikachu hurriedly scrambled upstairs into the bedroom. With an acute sense of urgency, he gathered up all of the papers that his trainer had piled into the corner over the past twelve days and carried them towards the window.<p>

Even though he did not intend to read any of the words scribbled onto the bleached cellulose, many of which were crossed out anyways, he still happened to catch several of the more recent sentences.

_The best battling strategies originate from the indestructible bonds of friendship between trainers and their Pokemon. _

_Pokemon have 25 natures and 6 statistics; trainers have one nature and no statistics._

_Offense is the best form of defense, offense can be counterbalanced by speed, speed can be substituted by defense. _

_The trainer is helpless without his Pokemon, while his Pokemon are far from hopeless without their trainers._

Each sentence was the product of countless hours of deep thought, strategic word choice, and careful revisions. As he read the sentences, Pikachu felt a hollow pain in his chest. Ash had never been much of a writer. In fact, he was well known for his simple diction and poor spelling. In the past two weeks, however, with the aid of a dictionary, a thesaurus, and neurons firing signals at an accelerated rate, the young trainer had indeed generated some thought-provoking statements for his "essay" article on Pokemon battles.

Both Pikachu and Delia had been proud of Ash's accomplishments. After all, no fourteen year old should be illiterate, right? But for the past two days, both parent and Pokemon had begun to worry about Ash's health. After days spent locked up into his bedroom, Ash had still not perfected the first sentence of this essay, claiming that the professor expected highly of him and that he did not want the audience to question his writing abilities from the very first sentence.

The confidence that Ash exuded so effortlessly on the battlefield was nowhere to be found in his study. Yet his expectations were equally high in both settings.

A bright flash of electricity illuminated the darkened bedroom as all of the papers became charred and illegible. Pikachu would not have done this if he had any other choice. He had just witnessed a confirmation of his worst suspicions about his trainer, and he intended to end it before Ash could ruin his mental and physical health. At least, not tonight.

* * *

><p>It was after dinner that evening. Ash and Misty were back on friendly terms after the brief argument they had earlier in the day, and Delia was content that both teens were thoroughly enjoying themselves and the scrumptious dinner she had prepared.<p>

"-And then Gligar crashed into me for the third time that day!" Both Ash and Misty were laughing at his account of the most ridiculous experiences he had in Sinnoh.

"Oh Ash, I really do wish that I could travel with you again. But I'm glad you're having loads of fun without me. And that croagunk, oh my. I was worried that Brock was going to be unstoppable with the ladies without Max and myself, but it seems as though that poison jab handles him just fine!"

"Yup, and yshwoldveen Dawn freakut orrer hair." Ash remarked through a mouthful of food.

"I'm not sure I caught that, but it's probably something about Dawn. You know, it's like I'm the only person who hasn't met Dawn. Even Gary's met her."

"A meeting sometime would be nice."

They chatted about similar things for the next hour, until the plates were empty and Ash's stomach expanded to the size of a wailord. Somehow, by that point, the direction of the conversation led back to Oak's assignment, at which Ash suddenly straightened up.

"Misty, do you mind if I go upstairs to write a few sentences for my essay? I'll be back down here in a few minutes." Pikachu's ear's perked up at this announcement, and, being certain to remain inconspicuous, he began to sneak up the stairs.

"Fine, just don't take too long, okay?"

Ash swiftly climbed up the stairs to his room, only to find that Pikachu was already there. "Pikachu, let me in!" Ash exclaimed from the top of the stairs.

Pikachu was unyielding.

"But I need to finish my essay within the next week," Ash complained. "I do not want to disappoint Professor Oak."

"Pika, Pikachu." The electric rodent insisted. This was one of those rare times when Ash could spend his entire evening with Misty, especially now that Misty was a full time gym leader. Pikachu would not let Ash's attachment to some useless piece of writing get in the way.

"But Pikachu, I'll only work on the paper for ten minutes. I'll be back downstairs after that."

"Pikachuchu pikapi." Pikachu knew that if he let Ash enter the bedroom, it was the end. Despite how much Ash loved to spend time with Misty, the fact that he forgot that she was even scheduled to be in Pallet Town earlier that day due to his obsession with the paper was enough to convince Pikachu that Ash would once again forget about Misty as soon as he started to work.

"No, I will not go downstairs until you let me into my bedroom."

"Piiiikaaa." Pikachu's cheeks sparked as he grew increasingly frustrated with his trainer. He knew there was no other way.

"No-"

"Chuuuuu!" Pikachu's thunderbolt hit its target: Ash's head. Then, before the trainer could recover, the rodent whacked Ash unconscious with his tail. He dragged Ash down the stairs into the field of view of a very surprised Misty.

"Pikachu, what happened to Ash?" Misty questioned.

"Pikachu, pikachu," Pikachu smiled innocently. Misty could do what she wished with Ash tonight. In fact, he was going to insist that Misty take Ash out for a walk around town. When Ash wanted to accomplish something, he was persistent, but he could also be distracted from remembering the task if he was spending time with his best friends. Soon he would forget about the paper, and as long as Misty did not mention Professor Oak again, it will be as if the essay never existed.

What Pikachu was not aware of, however, were Ash's thoughts as he awoke from his unconscious state. _Pikachu is right,_ _I'll just enjoy the night. But tomorrow, I am fully committed to finish the essay. _

* * *

><p>Suddenly, Serena was jolted awake from her nightmare. Although she had not seen him since her injury in the forest, faded memories of a boy that she had met seven years ago at a summer camp in Kanto resurfaced to her consciousness. She did not remember her dream, but she had a gnawing suspicion that he was in trouble.<p>

When she opened her drawer however, what was a once a plain white handkerchief with a simple blue lining was now covered with incoherent sentences. Although most of the words were smudged and burned beyond recognition, she somehow understood their meaning.

These were sentences that were brilliant in their characterization of the person who wrote them. Sentences that were all masterpieces in their own right, but somehow deemed to be insufficient for the writers high standards. Sentences that were most definitely never written onto the fabric.

"Ash, what is going on?"

...

_The string of scribbled sentences continued to drag incessantly across the page._  
><em>As the days merged into night, the raven haired trainer gradually forgot his age.<em>


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Luminous Illusions**

...

_To love is to feel with the warmth of a fire;_  
><em>To lust is to yearn with insatiable desire.<em>

_When boundaries dissipate, and dichotomies collapse,_  
><em>When constructs disappear, and into entropy we relapse,<em>

_It is the most terrifying to be, as I was, trapped helplessly in the turmoil._  
><em>Able to witness, but unable to act.<em>

...

The full moon glowed with a pearlescent radiance as the young trainers walked along the gently flowing tributary. Currently, they were headed south towards Route 21, where the river from the mountains west of the town that nourished the growth of the vast expanse of wheat fields emptied into the sea. It was at this confluence that a small lagoon was artfully situated, carefully crafted by concerted cycles of erosion and sedimentation since antediluvian times, and containing a serene body of undisturbed water unknown to the vast majority of human civilization.

"Ash, where are we going?" Misty inquired for the umpteenth time that evening.

"Can't tell you, Misty. It'll ruin the surprise if I do."

"At least promise me you know where you're going," Misty insisted. They had just turned a corner as they neared the sound of rapid currents that signified their closeness to the delta that connected the river to the sea. Losing the comfort of constantly watching the river meander by her side to a dense canopy of trees filled Misty with unease. Travelling without landmarks to guide her was disorienting. She got lost too frequently in the forest.

"No need to worry!" Ash responded enthusiastically. "Just a couple hundred meters this way and we'll be there." He was using Dawn's famous catchphrase, which was certainly not a good sign...

A few moments later, Ash stopped. "Huh? I swear it's around here. Stay here, Misty. I need to go explore."

Before Misty could protest, Ash had already wandered off the path into a thicker part of the forest.

"Pika..." Pikachu sighed. He was starting to regret hitting Ash on the head earlier that evening. Was that why his sense of direction was so impaired? At least knocking him out had convinced Ash to take Misty to the secret lagoon that they had discovered the last time Ash was in Pallet Town.

The electric rodent was just about to chase after his trainer when a loud buzzing noise became audible. "Ahhh!" An ear-shattering yell echoed through the forest.

"Ash? Are you o- Eeek!" Misty screamed and dropped dramatically to her knees as a very frantic Ash emerged, followed by an angry swarm of beedrill.

"Run, Misty," Ash called out breathlessly as he sprinted towards the other side of the forest.

Misty's legs felt weak. No matter how hard she willed her legs to move, they simply would not respond. Her cerebellum was firing signals overtime, but it was as if the lower half of her body belonged to someone else. She had always been deathly afraid of bug type Pokemon, especially beedrill, since it brought back terrifying memories of an evening when she witnessed the death of both of her parents, just after learning that she carried none of their genetic material.

"Misty, watch out!" Ash's voice jolted Misty back to reality. He had returned after noticing that Misty was not following him. _Stupid Ash, always getting yourself hurt,_ Misty thought with a hint of affection. She looked up in to see that the tip of a beedrill's stinger was only decimeters away from Ash, who had recklessly stepped in to intercept the attack. The axons in Misty's legs began to function again as the illusions that were the source of her paralysis dissipated, and Misty surprised herself by leaping to her feet and whacking the beedrill - no, make that Ash's head, as the beedrill avoided the attack - with her mallet.

"Sorry Ash, I didn't mean to-"

"CHUUUUUU!" Pikachu released the thunder attack that he had been charging, which effectively caused all of the beedrill to faint. The display of electricity was so powerful that the electric rodent would have gained over 30 Effort Values with one hit if he had not reached his 510 EV limit back in Sinnoh. While the bug types were momentarily unconscious, Misty and Pikachu scrambled away deeper into the forest, dragging an unconscious Ash with them.

* * *

><p>It had only taken Ash about ten minutes to recover from fainting, which either indicated that he had only received a minor concussion or that he was so used to head damage that his brain cells had become shock-resistant. Despite the rapid recovery, Misty was feeling very guilty about the accident with the beedrill.<p>

"Sorry Ash, I shouldn't have used my mallet!"

Ash reached out to cover Misty's mouth with his hand. "Not your fault. You were trying to protect us. You would've done a fine job if my head wasn't in the way. Thanks Pikachu, you were awesome back there!"

_Great_, Misty thought, _now he is blaming his head, and depriving me of my freedom of speech_. Determined to apologize, Misty kicked Ash gently on the stomach.

"Ouch!" Ash exclaimed. Apparently, the kick was not as gentle as Misty thought, or maybe Ash did not have as much of a buffer on his stomach as would be predicted from his eating habits. Now Misty had to apologize for both whacking him and kicking him.

In these cases of embarrassment, Misty would normally stage a violent outbreak of temper. She was never particularly good at apologizing, and in cases when the situation was exacerbated to a certain extent, Misty usually found it easier to just let her anger at herself take over to be redirected at others. She was saved from this, however, as Ash seemed to have finally found what he had been looking for all this time in the forest.

"Hey Misty, I think I've found it!" Ash exclaimed, pointing at a small mound covered in dirt on the forest floor. As easily distracted as he was, the messy haired trainer had already forgotten about his pain due to his excitement at his new discovery.

"Umm, Ash, that's just a pile of rubble. I thought we were going swimming?" Misty was baffled. Ash had been so excited earlier in the evening, when he suddenly had the idea of taking Misty to a 'sleepover by the beach', as he had referred to it. After consulting Delia for approval, Ash had ordered Misty to grab towels, a sleeping bag, fresh water, and a change of clothes. The preparation took only ten minutes, as Ash was apparently worried that the sun would completely set before they arrived at their destination. It was so fast that Misty could only hope that she grabbed a proper pair of enantiomeric socks for her chiral feet. The water type gym leader was disappointed that their final destination was even less appealing than a trubbish.

Ash simply swept his hand over the top of the mound. When the thin layer of detritus was removed, the smooth surface of a slate-gray boulder was revealed. On it, glowing faintly with an eery phosphorescent green, was a bottle-shaped carving.

"It's a secret entrance," the raven haired trainer explained. But Misty was not listening. She felt inexplicably attracted to the hypnotic symbol, which prompted her to reach into her past, like diving into a deep well...

_Misty Waterflower was feeling particularly lonely that evening, as her three older sisters had gone off to a party that involved alcohol, leaving their youngest sister behind. It was not particularly responsible of them to leave Misty unattended, but they reasoned that the seven year old was mature enough to care for herself. They were orphans, after all, as their parents had died three years ago._

_While wandering the hallways of the basement of the gym, Misty uncovered a stack of old letters. She was not a nosy child, but she was bored, and since she had just precociously developed the skills to read complicated passages fluently, she thought she would apply her reading skills to some of the letters._

_Most of the letters were addressed to the senior Waterflowers, and consisted of dreary sentences, business-related and of no interest to Misty. Just as she was growing tired, she discovered an cream colored envelope addressed to "Misty L."_

_This piqued her interest. There was no other Misty in the lineage of the leaders of Cerulean Gym, but her last name was not "L", or was it? She knew that she was not born into the Waterflower family, which explained why she often felt distant from her older sisters. Most people, including Violet, Lily, and Daisy, assumed it was the ten year age gap. Only Misty knew the real reason._

_She realized that the letter had been opened before, as the seal was broken. Holding her nose close to the paper, she could faintly smell the scent of brine. The inside of the envelope contained a letter folded into a square, Misty opened the letter. _

_Only to notice in astonishment that it was not a letter but a poem._

_To my daughter,_

_I love you, as the grass loves the sun, for you are the light that sustains my life.  
>I love you, as the water loves the moon, for I am content under the pull of your gravity.<br>I love you, as I love the morning mist, for you are the harbinger of the sunrise, of hope. _

_I could show you my love with a thousand hugs.  
>I would show you my love with a million kisses.<br>I should show you my love by caring for you. _

_But alas, I cannot, for I am dead.  
>But do not despair, for I live within you.<br>If you ever need to experience my love, remember the sound of the conch._

What Misty would realize much later, however, was that the faintly glowing symbol had put her in a trance. This poem was only a product of her imagination. The contents of the real letter from her mother that she had read in the past was nothing like the poem, as they contained more sinister secrets.

In fact, the penmanship of the poem of her imaginations was completely different from the letter. The strokes were more powerful and elegant. It was almost as if it was written by someone else entirely.

* * *

><p>"Ouch, Gible! Let go of my head!" Ash was yowling in pain. Gible's jaw was locked firmly around the messy haired trainers' skull bones, as it had been for several minutes. Pikachu was growing agitated as he searched for a solution to the problem. Considering the amount of head trauma that Ash was receiving that evening, it would not be surprising if he woke up the next day with complete memory loss. Of course, Pikachu was also the culprit responsible for most of these injuries.<p>

"Chu pika kachu!" Pikachu decided that he had to do something, even though he doubted that Gible would listen. The land shark Pokemon rarely ever heard anything. Out of all of the Pokemon to have a habit of biting Ash's head, he seemed to be the most persistent, often holding on for very lengthy periods of time. The dragon type put even totodile to shame.

Surprisingly, Gible released his hold on Ash's head.

"Gible, use rock smash on the secret entrance!"

"Gib!" Gible launched himself into the air, his forearm glowing, and was about to hit the boulder-

"Stop," Misty's firm voice commanded. Gible froze immediately. For some reason, he understood that this ginger haired lady was not someone he could afford to offend. Even with her viridian green irises slightly unfocused, she had an aura of authority.

Ash watched in astonishment as Misty gently placed her hand on the symbol. Almost instantaneously, the carving flared up in a flash of blinding white light. The boulder shuddered violently before a small white object was deposited from a hidden chamber inside. It was a strangely deformed solid with a very irregular surface that the messy haired trainer would have easily mistaken for trash, but Misty picked it up gingerly as if it was more valuable than a star piece.

It was not until Misty lifted the object to her lips that Ash realized what it was - a conch.

"Misty, I don't think it's a good idea-"

A clear note resonated through the night air. It rose steadily in volume and slightly in pitch, followed a few moments later by a decrescendo, a lowering of pitch, and some wavering like a vibrato. Despite being only one constant note, the sound was the most beautiful music that Ash Ketchum had ever heard. It was touching in the most unexpected ways, for he was reminded of his own troubled past.

As the melancholic dirge ended, both trainers were immersed in their own memories. Neither person noticed when the boulder shifted to reveal an underground tunnel, and of course, neither human recognized the small recording device at the base of the rock.

* * *

><p>A mysterious man in his late fifties stood inside the Ash Ketchum's bedroom. The light from the full moon cast menacing shadows from his long lab coat across the wooden floorboards as he bent down to examine a pile of ashes in a corner of the room.<p>

He whispered into his earpiece in the same high pitched tone that he used earlier in the day. "Expansum speaking. Laguncula, I have news to report."

After a brief delay, a familiar, deep voice responded. "Good. I was afraid the old man is unfit for such a delicate assignment. You have disproven my misgivings about your capabilities, although I would still much rather prefer if the _real_ Expansum could perform this task, not his older substitute."

"He is only fourteen, much too young to even be doing research!" Expansum protested indignantly.

"Shh, do not wake the lady of the house." Laguncula chastised. "Fourteen is certainly old enough for greatness. I was only sixteen when I founded my own organization." A pause. "Alas, I shall not ramble. We have important business to which we must attend. Tell me about your findings."

"I have good news and bad news, which do you want to hear first?"

"Play no word games with me. I do not live by dichotomies. What is good can turn bad in an instant, and what is bad can be good in the right context." A purring noise. "Go on, report."

"Alright. First, I've found the Vinegar for our Salt."

"That is good news. Acetum must have been well hidden to have evaded discovery. How did you find him?"

"Through Rowan's adoptive son at the Sinnoh League"

"Please, call him Fructus. Suspicious ears may be listening."

"Crazy latin code names..." Expansum sighed.

"The exotic languages have always appealed to me. Speaking of which, have you located Liquamine?"

"You mean our Sauce? I have no clues leading to her whereabouts."

A conch sounded from the other end of the earpiece. "Ah, what wonderful timing. I have located Liquamine. Now we are complete. Tell me about the other piece of news."

"Salinus' homework has been destroyed. All of it fried to ash. That electric rodent is smarter than we thought."

"I would be angry at your failure, but not tonight. Without the paper, Salinus will lose his drive to write sentences, but I was never counting on that ridiculously childish idea of yours to work to completion. You have done your duty. I will prepare Salinus for the next phase myself. After all, he is obliviously spending quality time with my secret weapon Liquamine at this very moment."

"If I may ask, where are they?"

"The lagoon." A light chuckle. "Where I seduced their parents."

* * *

><p>The trainers had just emerged from the underground tunnel into a secluded lagoon. This natural formation consisted of a roughly circular pool of salt water separated from the turbulence of the surrounding ocean by a crescent-shaped semicircular deposit of sediment. The lagoon was inaccessible from the forest due to the high density of trees and the treacherous cliffs that surrounded it, while the barrier from the ocean was too wide for most marine Pokemon to cross. It was accessible by air, but only at night, for it was perpetually covered by fog during the day. The best passageway for humans was certainly through the secret underground entrance that was only a couple hundred meters from the main forest path and led directly to the heart of the lagoon, where several caves sufficiently large for human habitation were situated.<p>

That night, the setting was perfect. The moon glowed softly, illuminating the sand and sediment such that they resembled powdered silver. The water was tranquil and shimmered with the light of thousands of reflected stars. The light breeze carried with it the faint smell of brine, and the temperature was precisely at that pleasant sweet spot for the human body. When one listened carefully, one could hear the incessant lapping of the waves, in contrast to the otherwise silent atmosphere. It resembled the rhythmic beating of a large heart, supplying that much needed warmth to the otherwise lonely setting. It reminded people that the outside world was still there, lest they completely lose themselves in the ethereal beauty of the lagoon.

"This place is breathtaking, Ash. How did you know about it?" Misty was in awe at her surroundings.

"Gary and I came across it before I set off to Sinnoh, but it was during the day time." Ash appeared similarly amazed.

"So how did you and Gary get in from the entrance? It was still intact when we got here, so you couldn't have rock smashed your way through."

"Oh, ask Gary. He dragged me to the boulder, then covered my eyes and ears until we got in the tunnel. I just assumed he used dig or somethin'. Not sure if he opened it the same way you did. I'm sure he can't play a conch."

"Hmm..." Misty somehow knew that Gary had been asked to complete a different task, perhaps compose a haiku. She was still not completely over the shock of the whole situation. The fact that she felt inexplicably drawn to the unnatural symbol and the fact that she could play an instrument she never knew, gave her major misgivings, as had her memory of the letter - wait, make that poem - from her biological mother.

"That conch, you played it beautifully. You're a natural musician, Mist."

"A conch is hardly an instrument." Misty protested. She blushed faintly at Ash's compliment. He had taken off his t-shirt due to the heat from the humid summer climate, and beads of perspiration clung to his skin and glittered faintly. Misty could not help but notice that Ash had grown more muscular since the last time she saw him over a year ago. Much of the fat from around his torso had disappeared, and his athletic form was accentuated by the illumination from the moonlight that enhanced the planes of his body.

"It is to me. As long as you're the one playing it, it's the most exotic instrument on the planet."

"Geez what's with all the big words and compliments all of a sudden? Do you even know what exotic means? You did hit your head too hard, didn't you?"

"Exotic means short tempered, does it not?" Ash poked Misty playfully.

Misty slapped Ash. Ash burst into laughter, and Misty could not help but join in.

* * *

><p>Paul Verity was awoken in the middle of the night from his troubled slumber by a high pitched beeping sound. Still groggy, he groaned in annoyance and reached to hang up his phone. Hoping to re-enter his restful sleep state, he returned to bed.<p>

Less than ten seconds had elapsed before the phone rang again, this time more loudly with a sense of urgency. Weird, since to the purple haired trainer's knowledge, his phone did not change ringtones. Extremely angry, Paul picked up the mobile communication device.

"Hello." Paul's voice was monotonous and heavy with menace. He awaited impatiently for the person on the other end to respond so he could unleash the full force of his anger on annoying caller.

After a few moments, a deep voice from the other end of the phone uttered a single word, "Acetum."

Paul was stunned. This was completely unexpected. Had the word been anything else, he would have hurled a string of insults at the caller without hesitation. But this was different. He had not heard that word, the word that was the source of all of his nightmares and depression, in over three years.

"Who are you looking for?" The abusive trainer wanted to make sure that he had heard the right name.

"Shinji Acetum. I believe that I am speaking to him right now, correct?"

Paul shuddered upon hearing his real name. "Tell me what you want, father."

* * *

><p>About half an hour after their arrival, Ash and Misty had entered the water in their swimming attire. It was already past midnight, but neither trainer was ready to sleep, so instead, they floated languidly on the salty water. Or at least, they <em>were<em> floating languidly before Ash became hyperactive.

"Hey Misty, wanna race me?"

"It's too late in the night, Ash," Misty yawned like a slowbro.

"Aww c'mon Mist, you like swimming, don't you?"

"I didn't want to ruin the romantic moment!" Misty immediately covered her mouth in embarrassment.

"Romantic? What's romantic around here? The trees?" Ash tried to appear oblivious to what Misty had just implied, although a faint blush colored his cheeks. When he heard Misty sighed in relief, he knew that he had succeeded in pretending to be as dense as he used to be.

Looking at the goddess-like form of Misty under the illumination of the full moon, Ash remembered exactly why he had purposefully friend-zoned all of his other female travelling companions over the years. It had gotten especially difficult with Dawn, since Lyra, among other people, had suggested that they would make a cute couple. Of course, Ash just played dumb, since it always worked. Now, however, he realized belatedly that he desperately lacked experience in the field of relationships, and had no idea of how to proceed now that Misty had refused his challenge to a race, which was, in his opinion, the best way to spend time with her in such a romantic setting without feeling awkward.

_Well, you could always chat with her again like you did earlier today_.

"Hey Misty, I apologize for ditching you this evening to write my essay." Ash blurted out without thinking.

"So, you _were_ planning on ignoring me for the rest of the evening, eh? Was that why Pikachu had to drag your unconscious form down the stairs? Figures." Misty rolled her eyes.

"Well, I was just gonna write one sentence." Ash protested.

"If I'm not mistaken, all you've managed to do is rewrite the same sentence over and over again. What's so special about this assignment anyways?"

That question prompted Ash to think. Did he want to please Delia? Did he want to show the world he had what it takes to become a Pokemon Master? Did he want to improve his poor grammar? Reflecting on the past two weeks, Ash realized that he had been in a trance-like state. He had completely isolated himself to work on, what was in hindsight, a useless piece of writing. He even forgot about Misty's visit, and had to come up with a last minute plan to give her the semblance of a romantic evening.

"Nothing," Ash muttered almost unintelligibly.

"Huh?"

"Nothing's important about the essay."

"This is so not like you, Ash. Normally, if you're _that_ into something, it's probably really important to you, especially if it has to do with literature."

"Sure. It _was_ important to me. Before you arrived."

"Aww, am I that much of a distraction, Ash?" Misty teased playfully.

"Yes, you are very distracting." _Whoops._ Ash blushed again, this time more profusely. He had been captivated by the curves of Misty's body, observing how her long legs gracefully parted the water with her every movement. _Way to always say the first thing that comes to mind, Ketchum._

"What's that supposed to mean?" Misty demanded.

"Uh...of course you're distracting if you're always waving that mallet around. I thought you'd gotten rid of it long ago?"

"I was going to stop using it. It's heavy to lug around. But then I realized that there was someone out there with such a thick skull that I just had to whack him every once in a while, whenever he was being stupid." Misty smirked.

"Do you plan on whacking me now?" Ash asked.

"Maybe." Misty smiled a little too innocently.

"With the way you're looking at me, I'll take that as a 'yes'. And since you're going to hit me anyway, I might as well do something stupid."

With that comment, Ash kissed Misty on her left cheek, just narrowly missing her lips.

"Hey, what was that for?" Misty was stunned.

"I don't tell you how much I love you very often, do I?" Ash called out from a distance. He was already swimming rapidly away towards the opposite shore.

"Hey, come back!" Misty dove into the water after Ash.

As his arms parted the water in powerful strokes, Ash smiled. So Misty was not too tired to race him, after all.

...

_With the longing of years of separation, the hearts of the young trainers gleam._  
><em>To beat in synchronization soon to be forgotten, as insubstantial as a dream.<em>

_..._

**A/N:** I normally would not do this, as I do not like writing author's notes, but from the mixed reviews I got for this story last chapter, I have to clarify a few points.

If you noticed the label for this story, it is a tragedy (it has been labelled as such from the very beginning) so there will likely be character deaths and a lot of pain and misery. If you do not like those things, then I'd suggest that you stop reading. Now.

The tone of my Prologue may have been deceiving, since I really didn't have a story plan back then, and wanted to write a really random short thing. But I have a plan now, and it is quite different from what I originally intended (chapters one and two are good indications of what the plot will be like). That is why I have deleted the Prologue, which I might make into a separate story later.

Note that there are six latin names here that you should know:  
><strong>Fructus<strong> = fruit, **Acetum** = vinegar, **Liquamine** = sauce, **Salinus** = salt,** Expansum** = spread  
><strong>Laguncula<strong> = bottle or flask _(notice the connection to ketchup? the first five names spell FALSE...or FLEAS)_  
>You have been introduced to all of these names in this chapter, and hopefully you have deductions about who some or all of the characters possessing these "code names" may be. More of the history of these names, along with the identity of the antagonists, will be revealed in later chapters.<p>

Anyways, that is all I have to say for now. If you're ever curious about when the next update might be or other things, please go check the stories section of my profile because that is where I will be posting most of my "authors' notes" from now on. I also do not check my PMs very often.

Just a reminder that this is my first fanfic, so please be considerate if I really mess up.

~ Organometallic Tetrahedron


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